Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues end Ousmane Dembele pursuit; Andreas Christensen close to joining Barcelona, and more - 6 March 2022

Chelsea remain third in the Premier League table after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday. The Blues are now 13 points behind league leaders Manchester City, but have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, the London side have ended their pursuit of Blaugrana winger Ousmane Dembele. Elsewhere, Andreas Christensen is very close to joining Barcelona.

On that note, here’s a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 6th March 2022:

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Chelsea end Ousmane Dembele pursuit

Ousmane Dembele is set to become a free agent this summer.

Chelsea have ended their pursuit of Ousmane Dembele, according to The Hard Tackle via SPORT. The French attacker is in the final few months of his Barcelona contract, and is unlikely to be offered a new deal. The London side are among the clubs previously linked with a move for the 24-year-old this summer.

Dembele has blown hot and cold since joining the Blaugrana from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. The Frenchman has only shown glimpses of the qualities that made the La Liga giants break the bank for his services. However, his poor injury record has inhibited his progress. Barcelona have lost their patience with the 24-year-old, and are now ready to let him leave for free at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, the Blues are expected to bolster their attack this year, and Dembele has featured heavily on their wishlist. Manager Thomas Tuchel was eying a reunion with his former star at Stamford Bridge in January. However, the 24-year-old opted to stay at the Camp Nou to facilitate a lucrative deal at the end of the season.

The German manager was previously expected to return for the Frenchman this summer. However, Chelsea have had to abandon their plans amid an impending change of ownership at the club. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced owner Roman Abramovich to put the Blues up for sale. Sporting director Marina Granovskaia and chairman Bruce Buck are also expected to leave the club.

As such, any plans for the summer have been shelved for now, with the London side preparing for a change at the helm. The new management could also alter the club’s transfer policy, and Dembele might no longer be a target.

With Juventus also out of the fray, only Newcastle United and Manchester United remain interested in his services. Meanwhile, he could also opt for a new contract with the Blaugrana.

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Andreas Christensen close to joining Barcelona

Andreas Christensen is likely to play for Barcelona next season.

Andreas Christensen is close to joining Barcelona, according to journalist Nathan Gissing.

The Danish defender’s current contract with Chelsea expires at the end of the season. The 25-year-old informed the Blues in December that he intends to leave this summer. The Blaugrana are now leading the race for his signature.

Christensen completed a few medical tests on Monday ahead of his move to the Camp Nou.

A meeting is scheduled between the two parties to conclude a deal next week. Apart from the Dane, the London side could also lose Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta this summer. Like the 25-year-old, both players are also in the final few months of their respective contracts with the Blues.

Christensen has made over 150 appearances for the club, with both his goals for them coming this season.

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Thomas Tuchel delighted to have Reece James back

Reece James is back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Thomas Tuchel has expressed his delight at having Reece James back from injury. The Englishman opened the scoring for Chelsea on Saturday with a well-taken goal just after half-time. He now has five goals and six assists this season.

Speaking after the game, the German manager said that the Blues missed James when he was out with injury.

“We missed him for such a long time that we almost got used to it. I think it was like nine weeks, and we played something like 25 matches in that time. We were constantly trying to find solutions, and we did find solutions as a team, and we managed to win games and even trophies in this period,” said Tuchel.

The Blues manager continued:

“But once he is back and plays three times, and first time from the beginning, you see what we missed. It’s a huge quality, and it’s very impressive how decisive he is in training and the games. These positions are very important positions if you play with this structure, and it’s the same on the left side. So it puts things into perspective when you see what we missed, and I am very happy that he came back like this."

James has made over 100 appearances for the Blues, including 26 this season.